


When is "Someday" ?

by Cityofepicness



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Shirbert, annewithane, awae
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-13 16:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14116008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cityofepicness/pseuds/Cityofepicness
Summary: Gilbert Blythe had left town after his father passed away.Anne hasn't heard of him for over a year and she was starting tobelieve he might never come back, until she heard some gossip in town."Come home someday" she had said to him before he left but.. when is "Someday"?





	1. Something missing

**_SPRING_** **-**  Oh what a beautiful season Spring is! Especially for Anne who had been waiting impatiently for it to knock on Avonlea's door.  _Spring is a miraculous experience ,_ she thought. The world comes filled with color and the scent of delicious greenery. Some little birds swaying their wings , the others singing with their sweet voices in the branches of trees. And the flowers ... oh the fields dotted in all kinds of flower _s , It's majestic_!   
The world began to seem so dull during Winter, which to Anne came as a surprise since she had always thought Winter was a " _Frozen magic land, that provides a lot of scoop for the imagination"_ However, imagining herself as Adeline , the alluring snow queen  ** _,_** was not helping her get throughthe cold season faster. Perhaps it was because she had the feeling that something was missing. Or was it  _someone ,_ who had left a year ago and hadn't come back yet? But that's  _ridiculous_  of course! It couldn't be because of that , it must have been something else.  
Either way , spring had already come so there was no need to worry anymore , everything wouldgo back to normal. She was sure her brain would stop thinking such absurdity ** _,_** now that it had far more interesting things to think about .. like the spelling bee competition that would take place that week for example. Which she realized she also didn't want to think about because her thoughts were circling her back to last year's spelling bee , in which she won against her biggest rival and very deservingly by the way! For some reason she could not make her brain focus on what Mr. Phillips was teaching. She was afraid that If he'd ask her to repeat anything that he was teaching for the past half an hour , she wouldn't be able to say any word at all. She caught herself looking back at Gilbert's seat quite a few times that day , in which seat Billy had been sitting ever since Gilbert left, which was  _quite ironic_  , she thought ** _,_** since Billy was the complete opposite of everythingGilbert Blythe was , surely he did not deserve to sit there.Let's say she didn't like him sitting there at all. He had taken the position of the most popular guy in school too , which annoyed Anne to no end since everybody would follow him and do everything he said _,_  which is never good news. He had not hassled Anne though , which came as a surprise to Anne. She wondered if anything had happened that made Billy stop harassing her, or maybe he could have changed for better? People change , right? Gilbert did. He had called her "carrots" before, which had hurt her feelings excruciatingly but then they'd made peace with each other. Although , Anne hasn't forgiven him  _entirely._ She had planned to give him another chance to redeem himself (just to make sure he  _really_   _IS_  sorry) , when he'd come back of course , but he never did.She had heard gossip about him, from the women in town , who never seem to put a Blythe's name out of their mouths. She had heard the news from Rachel , who was also in-the-know with everything that happens with everybody else'slives. Every time Rachel would gossip about someone in town , Anne would pretend to listen to her but in fact she'descapesomewhere with her imagination.  _Thank goodness for my imagination_ , she'd think. She didn't want to be nosey , she actually despised behind the back chatter. Until , well ... until she had mentioned Gilbert Blythe's name , which made Anne's ears wide open. She felt guilty for listening but she was bursting with curiosity! Rachel had told her that Gilbert has traveled Europe. As soon as she mentioned that ** _,_** Anne got caught into a daydream, thinking how absolutelywonderful would be to visit Europe! She thought of all the beautiful cities she could see and all the fun she could have , probably there were places even prettier than those her imagination makes up. Unfortunately , she knew those would only stay as dreams. So she was more thankful than ever that she had such a colorful imagination!She got too caught up in her daydream that she totally forgot Miss Lynde was still talking to her about Gilbert. She'dask her to repeat herself but she knew Miss Lynde would tease her about it and she wouldn't want to sound  _too_  interested.  
Anne really did not have her head in the lesson today. She only got snapped out of her daydream when Diana , who was sitting right next to her , put a hand on her shoulder and whispered her name. She also realized Billy had been staring deadly in her eyes , while she was staring at him unintentionally. That made her rather uncomfortable. So she broke the eye contact as soon as possible and turned back to Diana who was waiting for her friend to come back to earth.

  
"Anne," Diana whispered again.

Anne looked at her , waiting for her friend to say some sentence longer than her name. Or has Diana already said something before but she didn't hear it because she was busy daydreaming? Oh how embarrassing! But at the same time , this has happened too many times now. Diana was probably used to it.

  
"He - ..." struggles Diana , trying to find the right words.

The anticipation was making Anne even more curious about what her friend might want to tell her. It must be something interesting , she thought.

  
"I am sure he'll come back soon Anne!" she finally breaks the silence , looking at her friend rather scared she might overreact and Mr.Phillips would make them both leave the classroom , she'd be in terrible trouble with her mother then.

"Who?" asked Anne , who was caught off guard at that very moment.

  
"Gilbert Blythe," answered Diana softly.

  
"Oh!.. no .. I was just ... it was not.." mumbled Anne trying to find the right words to say.  
" .. I was just wondering if he'd ever want to come back. I mean THINK Diana! How beautiful must Europe be? I can only imagine how magnificent it must be! Although , I think not even my imagination will do it justice." said Anne whose face expressions were constantly changing from excitement to sorrowfulness to excitement again.

"Oh Diana! Would anybody want to come back after seeing the wonders of the world?" asked Anne pleadingly. Diana stayed silent waiting for Anne to answer her own question , as she always does.  
And so she did "I wouldn't! ... or actually I think I would.. yeah of course I would." continued Anne talking while making up her mind " I think that no matter what wonders of the world I see , I'd never compare anything to Avonlea and my dear Green Gables! And of course , I wouldn't want to leave Marilla and Matthew ever, I love them with all my heart!" said Anne. She was suddenly feeling all nostalgic.

"But ," continued Anne , suddenly glazed "I don't think Gilbert appreciates the beauty of Avonlea! He does not have tiniest bit of imagination in him." said Anne starting to heat up "well and I am sure he has not appreciated Avonlea ever! And besid-"

  
"Oh Anne , you don't know that!" interrupted Diana , finally breaking her silence after listening to her friend's long rant. Anne was starting to raise up her voice while talking which made Diana worried she'd get both of them in trouble.

"I am sure he cares about Avonlea just as much as you," said Diana trying to soften the tension.

"It's justifiable taking some time out of here after his father died." finished Diana hoping that would calm her friend a bit , who was clearly taking the roll to insult Gilbert.

  
"I guess you're right, It wasn't nice of me to insult him , especially now that he's not here to defend himself," admitted Anne , feeling guilty for letting her temper get the best of her.

"But I guess.. I kind of miss the competition, it is not fun being on the top of the class when you don't have to work as hard as before to earn the spot," she continued trying to justify herself.

  
"Well Anne , as I said I am sure he'll come back soon and you'll have your competition back," said Diana with a warm smile "Now let's listen to Mr.Phillips before he catches us chatting," said Diana.

Anne nodded in agreement , even though she knew she would not listen to him at all that day.

 

 

 

 


	2. Gossip in Avonlea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This originally was two separated chapters but they were short so I joined them together.

**SUNRISE** \- One of Anne's favorite _"earthly bliss"_ The yellow glow of the rising sun gives her the gift of gratitude. How could we have been blessed with something so astonishingly stunning? And it's totally free! _Ah life is wonderful!_ she thought , thanking God above for being alive in this pleasant day! She felt very optimistic, much better than yesterday. And she had set her mind that she wouldn't let anything ruin her mood today. Almost feeling like today's going to be special. She changed from her sleep gown to her dress , which didn't even look like the same dress she wore everyday , it looked better than ever. She didn't even sigh at the fact that it didn't have puffed sleeves. When she got ready , she went downstairs where Marilla and Matthew were waiting for her to join them in breakfast.

"Good morning dear Marilla and Matthew!" she greeted them with a huge smile on her face.

"Good morning to you too young lady," Matthew greeted back , also with a huge smile in his face.

"Well , well now! You two look happier than ever," said Marilla, trying to remember if she had forgotten any important event that might be happening today.

"I am feeling so optimistic today Marilla , it's such a wonderful morning , don't you think?"

" Well , I don't see anything special , It looks like every other morning," said Marilla , until she recalled the spelling bee competition coming up soon "Is this about the spelling bee , Anne?" she asked.

"No .. actually I have completely forgotten about that," answered Anne " I am not _really_ excited about it, I am certain I will come first. Well , unless Moody has miraculously gotten better," she laughed.

The rest of the morning with the Cuthberts was a delight as always , and the breakfast was lovely!

***

She was heading to school , a little earlier than usual , excited to see her friends. She even was excited about today's lesson , whatever that may be. Even though she never liked Mr. Phillips and she felt that the feeling was mutual. When she arrived in the school yard , she started scanning the place for her friends , who she found ... not in the way she was expecting to find them. Ruby was crying and the other girls were gathered around her trying to calm her down. They didn't even notice Anne coming , except Diana who gave her a warm yet worried smile.

"What has happened Diana?" Anne asked as she took a step closer to see what was really happening.

" Ruby got some unpleasant news today," Diana explained "but I am sure it's just nonsense gossip , she shouldn't worry," she proceeded to say while rubbing Ruby's back and giving her an encouraging smile.

Anne waited a bit for someone to explain what was this gossip that had upset her friend so much but given that nobody was enlightening her , she asked what is it they're talking about.

"Oh Anne!" cried Ruby "It's tragic!" Anne was still confused and even more worried than before but she didn't want to push Ruby too much , as she was sure she'd sooner or later find out.

"It's Gil.. Gilb-," she cried even harder struggling to say his name, which made Anne's heart skip a beat.

She went blank , her face looking as she had seen a ghost. What has happened to Gilbert and why was everyone else other than Ruby so calm if they've just gotten tragic news?

 

PART TWO - The bad news 

* * *

 

 **PALE -** would be the best word to describeAnne right now. She looked lifeless standing there , too afraid to ask more questionsas she feared she'd get the tragic answer.  
Diana saw her friend's face turn as white as snow , so she immediately jumped to explain 

"No Anne , he's fine! I am sure he is perfectly fine , it'snot like  _that,"_ ****shesaid while turning at Ruby to yell at her "Ruby! For goodness sake , calm yourself , you're making it seem like it is the end of the world!"

Anne , who had never seen Diana like this before , was still confused even though now a little more relieved , as it didn'tseem as much of a big deal like Ruby is making it sound , besides even though she loved her dearly, she knew Ruby could be dramatic from time to time.  
Dianawho apparently has had enough , proceeded to explain what happened and end this long and painful anticipation that felt longer than it was.

  
**"** Rumor is ,Gilbert Blythe has found a lady."she explained. 

  
Anne sighed in the sign of relief. Her heart that was beating so fast started slowing down to the normal rhythm. She had expected the worse.

  
"Isn't it  _horrible_  Anne? This is the most tragic thing that has  _ever_  happened to me! I will never have a chance now!" she cried. 

  
Well she would never have a chance either way , as she believed Gilbert would never return to Avonlea. But she did not want to make her friend feel worse , so she just joined her friends in attempting to calm her down , which was quite the challenge. And she thought she was the hysterical one. She'd call many things tragic , but Gilbert Blythe finding a lady was  _not_  one of them.

Although , she did have a weird uncomfortable feeling in the chest , but that was probably from all the jump scares.

"I am certain he has not found anyone Ruby, the rumors are almost never true , besides , I don'tthink he would settle in ..at this age , I mean , he never seemed as someone who'd be interested in romance anyway," said Anne. Surprisinglythat was the key to make Ruby stop crying.

Although Anne said that , she did not believe it herself. Gilbert had surprised her before , so it wasn't illogical to think he had found someone in one of the cities he had visited, who was most likely insanely pretty. They're probably traveling the world together, which Anne thought it was quite a romantic concept. 

  
"Come on now , let'sget inside. We'vebeen here for quite sometime" said Diana , snapping Anne out of her daydream once again.

  
The girls walk in the classroom , this time each one of them lost in their thoughts. To think Anne was looking forward to today'sclassbut Gilbert Blythe even though not here , still manages to ruin another perfect day. 


	3. Dazzling eyes

**TEDIOUS -**  would be the word to describe today's class. It seemed like nobody was payingattention to what Mr.Phillips was teaching. At least it wasn'tjust Anne this time. Actually , she felt like she was the only one who wasn't as inattentive as everyone else. She'd turn to Ruby to see her face sorrowful. Turn to the other girls to see them equally lost in their thoughts.   
Even Diana wasn't paying attention. The boys were also whispering the entire time. They'd nudge each other from time to time and she was sure she has heard Gilbert's name at least 20 times till now.Mr.Phillips had threatened to make them leave the classroom many times , as he had noticed his students were preoccupied with something else. Anne was the only one who had been answering his questions and paying some attention, until she'd get distracted by the mention of Gilbert's name.She'd get annoyed with the amount of people chatting about him and his new nameless mysterious lady.   
_What was the big deal?_  
Anne couldn't understand all the fuss the news had brought to her classroom. It looked like the entire classroom was filled with mini Miss.Lynde's who lived for some good gossip.   
Though , she had to admit, the news were very engrossing. Not the fact that he had  _found_  a lady , but rather the fact how he had  _described_  her.Word is , he had said she was "sweet looking , very talkative and with dazzling eyes"  **,** whichcouldn'thelp but make Anne think,  _how beauteous must she be_?Gilbert for sure wouldn'thave settled for someone plain looking , so  _of course_ she must be a dream!  
Bet she'slovely personality-wise as well. Oh and smart ,  _obviously._ Gilbert wouldn't takeanyone who isn't equally as intelligent... or would he? Either way , Anne was really curious to meet her. Although , she felt a bit envious of the girl's looks. She had imagined her to be everything she ever wanted to be.   
_Midnight black hair flowing over her shoulders , mesmerizing honey eyes with long eyelashes. Olive skin with no freckles. Her style elegant._  
Ahh how she wanted to look like that!   
Although, she did feel  _VERY_  grateful her hair had started to transform into an auburn color and lately she had seen less little dots on her face. God had clearly heard her prayers , so it wasn't nice of her to be ungrateful.

"Everybody dismissed!" said an annoyed Mr.Phillips , with a gravelly voice.  
He had dismissed them earlier than usual , probably because the teacher had noticed nobody was really paying attention.

_Well,_ thought Anne ,  _this is good news! I'll have enough time to go exploring the captivating spring nature before returning home._

_Part two - The Fields of Fire_

* * *

 

**DETERMINED** Anne Shirley had set her mind earlier that morning that nothing was going to bring down her mood. The news about Gilbert Blythe had shaken her a bit but since Mr.Phillips had dismissed them earlier than usual , there was still hope for the day to be saved.She had planned to go explore the "wilderness" the nature had to offer in this glorious day. Of course she had invited Diana to come with , but she had declined as soon as she'd heard "wilderness". It was  _too_  risky for her to go anywhere else other than home after school behind mother's back. Anne had tried to convince her it would be only for a few minutes , maybe half an hour and they'd return home as usual but it wasn't convincing enough to make Diana come with. She wasn't brave enough , but Anne didn't blame her for that , given the strict mother her friend had. She felt sorry for her sometimes, Diana didn't have " _A Matthew_ " like her, who'd smoothen things over when Marilla would get maddened at her. Which happened less frequently lately by the way.

  
"I'llsee you tomorrow then dear Diana," she had told her friend pulling her into a hug.

  
"Take care Anne!" a worried Diana had said.

  
"I will , don'tyou worry!"Anne assured her friend with a warm smile before _"heading for the hills... or fields."_ But it sounded more adventurous to say hills.

  
Anne entered the forest filled with aged trees , that were astonishing nevertheless. It looked like a leafy paradise. The green grass like waves under her feet looked brighter and prettier than ever which made Anne feel guilty for stepping over it. Especially over flowers, that were spotted like little dots all around the grass, she tried to avoid stepping over them at all cost. Even if that meant taking the long road. But she didn't worry , she knew she had time.

She had set her mind to go see the " _Fields of fire"  ,_ as everyone in Avonlea would call them.  She has heard the beauty of the fields is heavenly . The fields were covered in red tulips and orange daisies.Must be  _breathtaking_! And the name gave her such a thrill!  
She had begged Marilla to take her there before but she had told her it's  _not worth the trouble , it was too far away anyway._ Which Anne didn't understand , she'dwalk miles to see such majestic beauty.It'sanother one of earthly blisses, you simply can't miss on seeing that. How lucky were those people who lived close to them , they certainly go there everyday!  **"** _It's just red flowers Anne, I am sure if you open that door you'll find similar ones in a minute,"_ Marilla had told her pointing towards the door of their house. Of course that had crushed Anne's dreams. Although , she was sure she'd get to see them someday. And she had decided that "someday" was today. She had time..  
The only problem was , she had not a single idea where the field were. But she was sure she'd find them.   
And so she began her adventures in the search of  _the fields of fire._

_Part three - Sunset in the woods_

* * *

 

**LOST** would be the best word to describe Anne's current state. Shewas lost , althoughshe did not want to admit it.   
She kept telling herself that she had time but she didn't realize she had been walking for hours , she got too enrapturedby everything around her and she made too many stops to admire every single detail of her surroundings. She only realized how long has she been out when she saw the golden sun heading for sleep.  
And the worst ,  _oh the worst_  is that she had not found the Fields of Fire. Not even a glimpse of them. She wanted to continue her search, too stubborn(not her proudest trait) to stop now after all the walking. They couldn't be that far away now , could they? But , Marilla and Matthew must be terribly worried! _I best go back ,_ she thought. Only there was another problem , shedidn'tknow the road back either.  
She messed up , she messed up  _badly_.If only she had listened to Diana and went   
back with her , this wouldn'thave happened.  _Oh poor Marilla and Matthew!_  she thought _, the fields of fire , whatever beauty they hold , they are hardly worthy of Marilla and Matthew's concern._ She felt extremely guilty and frightened, cursing her stubbornness that got her here in the first place. She could see the sky darkening each minute more and more. She was terrified!!!   
She had to make a choice , either go back in the dark and try to find her way back home or walk forwards in the hopes of finding any kind soul that could help her. Both seemed  _extremely_  dangerous ,but she decided to walk forwards.  
It was getting extremely cold too and she did not have any coat with her. She decided to speed up a bit , although she could feel her feet tremendously tired.   
Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.    
Until she finally heard  _Something._    
She heard some voices that seemed  _very_  far away but it was enough to give her comfort and hope.  All she could see in front of her was big trees and branches everywhere and at this point it had darkened a lot.  _It's not pitch black yet,_ she confronted herself. She was following the voices that sounded like whispers , she could not understand any word , it was like hearing someone talk underwater. So she decided to yell for help. She kept running and yelling for help for at least five minutes until...  
"Anne!!" someone called her from the behind , the voice clear and sharp.  
She turned around..


	4. A hero...ish

**RELIEF , JOY , EMBARRASSMENT** were just some of the many emotionsAnne was feeling at the very moment. Relief someone had found her , joy seeing her  _friend?_ back , embarrassment how he had found her. The last one increasing intensively. Especially after she had seen his face change from a graved expression to his lips curling into a smirk. Right in front of her eyes stood Gilbert Blythe himself. Who had grown taller , his voice a little deeper than before , his hair had lengthen a little too. Other than that , he hadn't changed a lot.

"..Gilbert?" was all Anne could say at the moment , surprised to see him standing in front of her.

  
"Anne Shirley-Cuthbert , what on earth are you doing here all alone?" he asked her , worried something might have happened to her or the Cuthberts ... but he couldn't help but put on a sly smile at the fact that he found her in trouble .. _again_   _.._ just like the first time he'dmetherin the woods ...  _again_..This girl was a genius for getting in trouble. For a moment it felt like he had never left.

  
"I don'tsee how you can find _amusement_ inof a situation like this , Blythe." the girl told him lifting her nose up in the air.

  
It was clear she had mistakenly read smugness in Gilbert'sface , which was not the case. She had not evengreeted him ... or answeredhis question.. yeah  _definitely_ the Anne he remembered.

  
"Well , good evening to you too , Anne!" he purposely said with a smirk on his face, hoping it would ring a bell.

**"**  Does it seem like a  _good_ eveningto you?" repliedrapidly Anne defending herself as she had noticed Gilbert was  _clearly!!_ trying to humiliate her even more.

  
"Well , depends on what you were  _doing_..."he had told her, not getting rid of that stupid smirk in his face. He of course was expecting an answer , which answer he shall  not have the  _pleasure!!!_  of getting.

Instead she answered his question with a question. "What brought you here?"

  
"You." he told her very straightforwardly , while looking her straight into her big blue eyes. Anne who got too caught up on the moment , had forgotten that she was yelling for help a few minutes ago. Which is extremely humiliating , now that he clearly knows she was struggling to find her way and she didn't have many options of stories she could make up to defend herself. 

  
"Well , since you're so  _inquisitive_.." she said   
while looking to see if she'd get the desired reaction ( totally ignoring the fact that she was insulting her potential" _hero")_  
Gilbert responded with a sly smile and a raised eyebrow , already curious to hear the girl'sstory.Not exactlywhat she was expectingbut anyway.

  
"...I was in my way to the Fields of Fire." she continued , still keeping head up high , as she had just told him something she should be very much proud of. As soon as she said that , Gilbert burst in a laughter (that he quickly suppressed) but that doesn't matter since it was enough to make the red head's blood boil. 

  
"OhAnne," he sighed "You're not even in Avonlea!"

_Part Two - In Corvale_

* * *

 

**CONFUSED** Anne Shirley was standing in front of a Gilbert Blythe who was trying his hardest not to laugh.

  
"You  _really_  are lost , eh?" asked Gilbert teasingly , an eyebrow raised.

  
"I am not." a very credible looking Anne had responded , her head up high with her arms crossed , which only made Gilbert more contentious. He really had missed their banter moments.

  
"I would've found them, if the lovely sun could hang on for a little longer.... guess  _she_  was tired." said Anne referring to the sunset , which Gilbert found amusing. He has always been fascinated with her use of words, they'd always put a grin in his face.

  
"Well , even the sun needs _her_ sleep" he said tilting his head but not breaking the eye contact with her.

  
" _Exactly_!"she exhaled and nodded in agreement ( _for the first time since they met!_ )  
Maybe she had just found a new friend who understands her. Other than Diana of course.

Gilbert noticed that the tension had started to leave the air , so he took the chance to tell her //  _very gently_  // that she was in  _Corvale_ , the small town right next to Avonlea.Althoughthe two towns very neighbors and she had not gone  _too_  far away, it was more than enough to make Anne's cheeks as red as a blooming rose.  
Gilbert , who didn't want to make her feel more humiliated,had told her he alsostruggled to find the "Fields of fire" the first time he visited them. He said he wandered around for at least two hours before he finally found them. Which was a lie.

Anne believed him though , as she thought he wouldn'tpurposely humiliatehimself to make her feel better. The thought of Gilbert also being lost before was comforting enough to her. A calmness finally had entered her soul and with it a senseof regret. 

  
"I am so sorry for being impolite earlier, Gilbert..." said Anne , who quickly corrected herself - ".. _Mr.Blythe_ ".

Now that he had grown up and she hadn't seen him for more than a year , she thought it would be disrespectful to call him by his first name.

  
"Still Gilbert." the boy responded , giving her one of his best smiles. 

  
A light rose color spread across her cheeks.

  
"Alright then ,  _Gilbert_  , would you be so kind to show me the way back to Avonlea?" 

"Oh.. sure .. sure-yeah ... yeah of course!"the boy mumbled, he had completely forgottenwhy he was there in the first place.

  
"This way," he lead the way , offering her his left hand to escort her much like he had done last winter , in their way to coffee shop before they said goodbye to each other.  
They walked in silence for less than a minute , but it seemed way longer than that. At a point Anne wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth in her mouth chattered together and her skin chilled from the cold she was feeling.

  
"Anne! Where are  _my manners?_ " Gilbert said , very disappointed at himself for not thinking of this earlier. He quickly took off his coat and wrapped it around Anne's shoulders.

"There you go." he said with a gentle smile. 

  
"Thank you. That'svery kind of you!" Shirley had smiled back at him ...which kind of made his heart bounce.


	5. Home to Avonlea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have messed up , I published the wrong chapter , It should have been "Home to Avonlea" before "Mr.Mrs Henley". I fixed it now , sorry!

**Catching up** on everything that happened in school while he was gone. Anne covered almost every highlight that had happened till now. Her way of explainingeverythingwould make Gilbert burst in laughter quite a few times. Walking alongside each other in the streets of Corvale turned out to be  _surprisingly_  very pleasant , despite the cold that would send shivers down their spine from time to time.

"Oh Gilbert," she chuckled "I have totally forgotten to ask you what you were doing back here."

"I've also forgotten to tell you." Quickly responded Gilbert , not letting her put the blame all in herself.   
"Guess we were enjoying ourselves too much , eh?" he beamed.

"A little  _too_  much." Her face suddenly brooded.  
"Marilla and Matthew must be  _terribly_ worried. And ... it has darkened almost entirely." she said looking at moon that had started peeking in the sky. Gilbert was looking at the girl, genuinely concerned.

"I have toadmit , It willbe pretty scaryto walk back alone... Although , imagininga frightened Marilla and Matthew gives me such courage," she took a deep breath and then continued   
"I am hoping the moon shines brighter than ever tonight, so it lightens my way home. Actually..." she paused for a few seconds , her gaze ditching the mood and meeting Gilbert's,  her face lit up again.  
"I think it's quite romantic to be accompanied home by the moonlight , don't you agree?"

Gilbert did not - or better  _could not_ respond to that. So many thoughts were going through his head , they robbed him from his speech.   
It was amusing how she could find anything remotely romantic about the situation.   
And she was brave ,  _really_  brave.  
But, he had not thought that she'd consider walking back home in the dark. Especially alone. That took him by surprise. Why would she think he would just abandon her? Has he not shown that he was better than that?

"Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!" he finally spoke. His voice slightly tense.  
"You must be out of you mind to think I would  _ever_  let you walk back alone!"   
It was clear Gilbert had taken offense out of her words.

"No , it's not - I just .." the girl was struggling to find the right words to say.

Gilbert saw that he had put her in an uncomfortable situation that might lead to them arguing again.  _Sigh_. Right when they were starting to become friends. It was up to him to fix it before it escalates to another fight.

"It's alright." he gave her a friendly smile.  
"Would you and the moon mind some company?"

 **"** We would not." Anne laughed. "But  **,**  I am afraid I'll have to say  _no_  , I don't want to cause you any disturbance."

"Well good thing I wasn't _really_  asking."  
He winked at her.   
Anne looked away almost immediately, acting as she had not just seen that. She thought she did a good job at hiding it but her mouth was clearly curving up into a smile.

"Besides , me and Sebastian will ride you home" he added.

"Sebastian?"

"He is a kind man I met while working on the docs. He owns a house in Corvale." he explained.  
"The house is quite big , although he only shares it with his wife."

That made Anne think of Marilla and Matthew , what their lives could of been if they never adopted her ... It must be really sad to own a big house and not have a child to share it with. She was immediately curious , but she knew it was impolite to ask for more information. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Sebastian and his wife, even though she had not met them yet.

"He decided to take a break and go back home to see his wife whom he missed dearly. I realized that I , too , missedAvonlea and wanted to go back."

Gilbert had expected Anne to react to the news of him coming back differently , instead Anne didn't even look at him , she was was looking down. She did not look happy at all .. or at least  _slightly_  pleased by the news , like he had expected her to be.

It's not that Anne wasn't pleased to hear Gilbert was back.  _For school rivalry, of course._ But , she remembered how she had said that he had never appreciated Avonlea or that he did not have the tiniest bit of imagination or any of the other thoughts she had at the time that she was going to say if her friend wouldn't have stopped her.  
He really was not deserving of those. Or at least he isn't now. She was sure Gilbert had changed , maybe because of all the traveling he had done, they'd shaped him into another man.

"... Permanently." added Gilbert intentionally , hoping he'd get a better reaction , maybe she had misunderstood him.  
Her glaze suddenlymet his.

"I am glad."  ****she smiled.

 

_Part Two - Mr &Mrs Henley_

* * *

 

 **Fascinated**  Anne Shirley was standing in front of Mr & Mrs Henley's porch. She was captivated by the massive house in front of her. Gilbert was watching her with a dopey grin in his face, he was somehow proud he could impressthe girl , even though he shouldn't have taken any credit for that , as the house was not his. He knocked lightly on the door and shortly after a beautiful looking woman with dark hair had opened it. She was wearing a bell-shaped puffed sleeves dress , patterned with florets. Her lovely dress caught Anne's attention immediately, everything was already appealing to her.

"Gilbert?" the confused woman spoke slowly, waiting for the boy to explain who was the girl standing next to him.

"Mrs. Henley," the boy nodded respectfully , "This is ..."

"Anne!" the woman interrupted him , nearing her oil lamp closer to Anne's face to take a better look at her.   
She gave her a welcoming smile and then turned to Gilbert , who wasn't looking at all surprised by the guess of the name. He smiled back at Mrs. Henley and then lowered his head shyly.

Anne however , was not expecting that. Had they met before? She didn't remember her at all.

"Please, come inside!" the kind woman offered.

Gilbert had walked in first and also almost trembled by doing so.   
That was not a very Gilbert Blythe thing to do. He really must have been extremely nervous to walk inside first before a lady. He failed his manners twice today.

Twice!

But unlike with the coat , he couldn't fix this one and go back outside solely so he could allow her to go in first , that'd be stupid ... Just like him trembling a few seconds ago. Gosh!

"Let me take that for you dear, " Mrs.Henley offered helping Anne to take off Gilbert's coat , that had kept her warm till now.

"It is  _Anne_  , isn't it?"

"Oh- yeah .. sorry Mrs.Henley," the girl finally spoke, "Yes. It is Anne indeed."

"You have a lovely name  _Anne._ We just have to make sure we spell it with an 'E' , of course." she responded with sly smile on her face.

Anne was  _VERY_  content to hear that!  
Although , she was surprised Mrs Henley would know about her, she could swear they'd never met before.  
Anne glanced over at Gilbert, who was fidgeting and facing the other way.

"I am  _gratified_  you think so , Mrs.Henley!" she said, "To be fair , I never really liked my name. I think it's very plain. But to have it said that it's lovely by someone like  _you_ , it is very consoling!" Anne confessed.

Mrs.Henley , who was already enjoying Anne's company , laughed and then asked "Someone like me?"

"Well of course, I'd be content being half as good looking and elegant as you when I grow older."

Gilbert's eyes widened at hearing that , he turned around facing Anne but he quickly looked away when their eyes met.

"You shouldn't think of such!" Mr.Henley responded.  
"I think you are a very sweet looking young lady," she continued. Her gaze traveled at Gilbert, who turned his back on them. His feet were bouncing in place and he had shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Don't you think so , Gilbert?" Mrs.Henley had queried out of nowhere.

Both Anne and Gilbert felt their cheeks starting to heat up.

"Wha- uh.." Gilbert stuttered "I— yeah , uh .." he cleared his throat awkwardly and finally managed to say "Yeah , sure..yeah" in a voice that came way squeakier than he thought it would.

Mrs. Henley had grinned.

Anne and Gilbert were trying to avoid the awkward eye contact at all cost.

"Why are you here , dear?" Mrs Henley asked , hoping it could make the situation less uncomfortable for the two.

"I -"   
"She- "

The two spoke at the same time. Then both of them silenced to let the other do the talking.   
_It wasn't getting more comfortable at all._    
Gilbert decided to continue talking since one of them had to explain.

"Anne went on a little adventure , she wanted to find the _Fields of Fire_ but instead lost her way and-"

"I didn't  _lose_  my way," she interrupted, "I was going to find them if I had more time."

"Oh, is that so?" Mrs. Henley chuckled.

"Yes," responded Anne unconvincingly, "I wanted to head back home but it darkened a lot. And Gilbert - he .. uh he said that maybe you could help — But , now that I am thinking it , I shouldn't have accepted. It is very late , I don't want to cause you any disturbance. I shouldn't have come."

"Nonsense. We will take you to Avonlea as soon as Mr.Henley gets home. He had some business in town but he'll be here shortly."

"Thank you Mrs. Henley , that is so very kind of you. I am deeply grateful!"

"No need to thank us dear. We wouldn't let Gilbert's friend wandering around in the dark," Mrs Henley smiled warmly.

Gilbert's  _friend_??  
Had he mentioned they were friends to her or was Mrs.Henley just assuming? Anne wasn't quite sure they were friends. She'd be surprised if Gilbert had said they were.

"Are you sure you want to go back tonight?   
We have two guest rooms. You can take one of them if you'd like and tomorrow at first light we will ride you back to Avonlea." Mrs. Henley offered.

"Yes!" Gilbert said suddenly , sounding  _a little_  too excited.

"Thank you for your kind offer Mrs.Henley, but I would like to get back tonight. Marilla and Matthew must be terribly worried," said Anne , completely ignoring Gilbert.

"As you wish!" the kind woman responded. "I best go looking for Mr.Henley then, we don't want to worry Mar- ..."

"Marilla and Matthew," Anne helped.

"Yes, Marilla and Matthew," she added.   
"Will you be alright waiting here with Gilbert for a few minutes , while I go look for Mr.Henley?"

Anne  _really_  wanted to say no. She didn't want her to leave and let them get back to the unbearable awkward silence. But it would be so impolite to say no and Mrs Henley had been really kind to her.

"It'll be alright. Thank you!" Anne responded. 

 


	6. A great companion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've missed a chapter and uploaded "Mr&Mrs Henley" before "Home to Avonlea" but I've fixed it now , so if u have not read Home to Avonlea , go ahead and do that before continuing :)
> 
> Also this is the last chapter.

 

 **SILENCE** had entered the room after Mrs.Henrey had left it. It was only two minutes ago, though , it felt like much longer for both of them. There were times that it looked like they were about to say something but they'd quickly change their mind. And of course they had done their best to not meet their eyes.  
Neither of them had sat down , though it was up to Gilbert to fetch her a chair. But it was clear his mind was not in the right place that day. It didn't come as a surprise to him anymore since he had already miserably failed his chivalrous manners twi— three times... in less than an hour! He had always been careful to never miss opening a door for a lady before, he even had come down from working on the rooftop to help Ruby get up that one time she fell and carefully cleaned her hat from the dust before he'd given it to her. Yet somehow he kept humiliating himself in front of Anne, the one person who he had always wanted to impress. (And even though his tricks might have worked with every other girl in Avonlea , they'd always been unsuccessful with Anne. But that only made her so much more intriguing to him.)  
 _There was no saving for him that day._

While Gilbert was worrying that he was not making a good impression , Anne had other thoughts in mind. Something between the lines of _Marilla would ground her for life (well deserved...as long as she doesn't stop her from hanging with Diana) , her disappearance would do no good to Matthew's heart_ and  
a very annoying thought that Anne was trying her hardest to dismiss- _Had Gilbert always been this charming?_

                                But NO!

She'd never admit that , it wasn't true.  
It had been a long stressful day to say the least , her brain was clearly messing with her (never listens to her when it comes to Gilbert anyway)  
I mean ... he kind of was her hero today, maybe she should give her brain a pass this time...

  
                              But still NO!!

"Please , have a seat," Gilbert spoke softly while pulling the chair for her to sit.   
As her knees bended to sit, he gently pushed the chair in with both hands on the backrest and then walked back and pulled a chair for himself.

"So.." the boy who was sitting directly in front of her , said softly.

"So.."

They glared at each other in silence for a long moment.

"Mrs Henley is awfully kind. I really like her," Anne said breaking the look between them.

"She certainly is — And Sebastian too. I am eternally grateful to him for taking me under his wing this past year. It has been really..." he felt his voice getting shakier so he took a long breath before continuing "...difficult."  
His smile had faded and replaced with a sorrowful look and a brittle voice.  
He took a moment to gather some strength before continuing but it was a failed attempt as he felt his eyes getting glossier.

"... It was hard leaving Avonlea and everything , _everyone_ , here. I — I liked seeing the world.. but it was not the same as when I got to do it with my father... There were times when I felt really _alone_ , like there was no one to look after me anymore or care for me.. And I just —"

At this point his speech had failed him and his eyes were shining with tears.

"Gilbert..." Anne whispered softly while reaching out for his hand.

She felt her heart break a little, looking at Gilbert's sorrowful face. She knew how feeling alone in the world felt like. She felt that everyday before she came to Green Gables.

When her freckled hand touched his , he finally looked up at her and realized he had made himself a little too vulnerable.   
Although he'd rather have her than anybody else , showing his vulnerability to, he could be as prideful as Anne. And he wouldn't want to make anyone feel sorry for him.  
He distanced himself from her and pulled back his hand , very subtly. But it was more than enough for Anne to immediately regret doing that.

"It's alright," he forced the most obvious fake smile Anne had ever seen.   
"I...uh — Are you cold?" he asked in attempt of trying to soften the tension that he had unintentionally created.

"No, I am not," Anne took a little while to respond.  
She was still processing the moment before. It had come to her as a surprise that Gilbert Blythe would open to her about such a sensitive subject but she was flattered by the fact. It was the first time Anne felt not a bit of hostility towards Gilbert.

"We can talk — If you want, I mean," she said softly. "I can imagine what you must be feeling-"

"I could get the fireplace worked up," he interrupted her , while pushing his chair back and standing up , as if he hadn't heard her.

"If you want to then, for yourself. I told you I am not feeling cold," replied Anne , in a tone that seemed almost vexed.

This time she was sure he heard her , it was obvious he was choosing to ignore her. She watched him as he walked to the fireplace and started to throw some logs in it.   
She expected him to come back , sit again , but he had just stood there with one hand in his hip and resting the other one in the Mantel shelf , watching the logs as they crackled.

The one time Anne was _actually_ nice to him , he chose to ignore her and refuse her help, it usually was the other way around. Anne was definitely not used to this or the complicated thoughts and unusual feelings that were going through her mind and stomach at the moment.

Gilbert wasn't showing any type of emotion or acknowledging the girl's presence anymore. And she could feel the twitch of annoyance peeking through again. She made up her mind that she would not talk , unless he decides to talk first. She had humiliated herself enough by showing compassion for someone that did not deserve it. (A shameful thought, that she did not fully agree with either)

"Mr&Mrs Henley must be here shortly," the boy finally spoke.   
He meant no harm but his sentence was immediately misinterpreted by Anne.

"I am glad. I am not enjoying your company anymore than you are," Anne was quick to reply frostily.

Gilbert chuckled , and then tilted his head to look at Anne. His brows joined in confusion and amusement.

"Why..Eh , I was actually thinking you make a _great_ companion," he very smoothly replied.

His lips curled into a sly smile as he tossed his curls ,that had grown a bit longer during the past year, out of his face to take a better look at Anne.

Now how could Anne _not_ blush to that? At least _a tiny_ bit.

"Oh.." was all she let out.

Gilbert was chuckling to himself and shaking his head lightly.

"Oh Anne!" he sighed"You're great."

Even though he didn't _exactly_ say that to her directly, it was more like a murmur underneath his breath , Anne still heard it. And it was not meaningless.

Did Gilbert Blythe really admit she was great? This was definitely the most bizarre night of her life.

Although she did not want to admit it , Gilbert Blythe wasn't the _worst_ companion in the world either.

Everything was starting to go smoothly again (except some unusual fluttering in her stomach) when she remembered something that removed every bit of the dopey smile she had on her face.

_His mysterious lady._

She had totally forgotten about her existence!By remembering her she also recalled the threat of Josie Pye " _Ruby's got dibs on him ,she has liked him for years!"_  
This was not fair to her dear friend Ruby, either. Even though there were _not_ any feelings involved in this upcoming _potential_ friendship, she knew Ruby would have wanted to be in her place. And she would have wanted to exchange roles with Ruby too. I mean , that's what a good friend would do. Actually , no to both of them - _the mysterious lady!_ Totally escaped her mind again!

"Gilbert?" she said while tucking the fallen pieces of hair , of her now messy braids , behind her ear.

"Yeah, Anne?"

"I don't mean to intrude in your private life but," She hesitated for a long moment.

"But I've heard.. From the women in town I mean that you—Eh - you've found your..." she paused to think of the most adequate word for the situation.

His ears wide open.

"...your significant other,"  she managed to say. Quite proud of the word she chose , not so proud about the soft voice that came with it.

"My what now?" Gilbert questioned, letting out a small giggle.

Anne thought he was mockingher choice of words , especiallybecause the look on his face was so smug.

"You know what , Gilbert Blythe!" she snapped back defensively.

"I do?" he questioned with his brows knitting in confusion while a corner of his mouth lifted.

"Ugh!" Anne gasped in annoyance , rolling her eyes at the boy. "Never mind me trying to start a conversation!"

"I do not mind, but it's not—"  he stopped himself from saying more, pondering for a few seconds.

His father had always told him stories about his adventures outside Avonlea. Gilbert had always looked forward to the story time and certainly , fascinated by them , he always aspired to follow in his father's footsteps. He remembered his father had told him that whenever he'd come back from one of his travels , he'd be greeted back with rumors saying he'd found someone , when in reality his heart belonged to only one lady he'd left back in Avonlea. Gilbert did not know who this lady was back then, but putting the pieces together now, it might have been Marilla Cuthbert.   
_He really resembled his father in many ways._

"She's wonderful," Gilbert finally confessed.

Deep down Anne believed that the rumor was not true, but she had just heard it with her own ears , confirmed by Gilbert Blythe himself.   
It was ....surprising. And not the most pleasant news in the world. _For Ruby._

"Really?" questioned Anne, not looking _too_ much forward to the answer. She'd be for sure jealous of her if she was any much how she'd imagined her to be.

"Oh absolutely!" Gilbert said unconvincingly. "In fact, I believe you and her would make the best of friends."

"You really believe so?" asked Anne , who was just starting to get excited by the thought of having a new bosom friend.

"Why yes of course. You two are very much alike."

If Anne would have paid more attention , she'd notice he was clearly messing with her.  
He wasn't even doing a good job at fighting his lips curling into a smile and then pressing them against each other to block out a giggle.   
She was already thinking of the _wonderful_ time she , Diana , Ruby and their new friend would have all together. 

"Please Gilbert , you mustn't leave me hanging like this. Do tell , what is she like?"

"Well, let's see," he said rubbing his jaw "She is really smart... loves to read..."

He was pausing a little after each word to build a suspense, which was working since Anne's eyes were sparkling in excitement.

"... has a lot of scoop of _imagination_ too," He said, knowing very well that it would catch her attention best.

"Oh Gilbert!" she squealed "I am so very happy! — Has she come back with you? Or maybe .. Uh no! I am _so_ sorry! Were you obliged to leave her? You must miss her tremendously!"

"What? No Anne," he said with a chuckle that soon upgraded to a laughter. "I never said I did."

Anne exhaled in relief.

"That is wonderful. I am so _thrilled_ to meet her! When will I do so?" she asked dreamily. Ready to meet another kindred spirit.

Gilbert thought that he best put an end to his fake story. It would be cruel to Anne since she had started getting too carried away by it.

"Anne, I am sorry," he swallowed, already bracing himself for what's to come.   
"There is nobody. I was only joking." he explained softly.

"This is a wicked thing to do Blythe!! Getting one's hopes up for absolutely nothing!" a maddened Anne stormed.

He knew he'd messed up again.  
 _What was he thinking?_  
Every time they'd start to get along , he would do something that would ruin it all. He never had bad intentions in mind , mostly longing for her attention. But Anne did not see it that way.

"I am sorry Anne,  I really am. If I knew you'd get this eagerly excited, I would've stopped sooner," he confessed , hoping she'd understand.

"You are _ridiculous_ Blythe! I believe you found the situation _very_ amusing," she stood up from her chair furiously.   
"I thought you'd changed. I was such a fool to think that— "she trailed off.   
It was clear that she was going to say something but she'd changed her mind.

"Think what?" asked Gilbert , hopefully.

"It does not matter now. You've proven me wrong," she said in the tone that she wanted to sound cold but ended up sounding almost sad.

Anne , too , knew she was being harsh on Gilbert , she knew he meant no harm by it.   
But.. her temper gets the best of her , especially when she is trying so hard to shove down her chest those annoyingly foreign feelings , which she couldn't understand either or at least she didn't want to.

"You're always so hard on me Anne!" Gilbert said , sounding defeated.

"Then you must be doing something wrong," she replied back defensively.

He looked down for a few moments and then looked up to her again.

"You should have known I'd never-"

He got trailed off by the sound of the old door creaking behind him.

"We're here!" Mrs.Henley announced.  
Next to her standing , what Anne assumed to be , her husband Mr.Henley.

He walked over at Anne to greet her.

"Good evening _Anne_ , I am Sebastian," he said smiling and offering his hand for a shake.

"Good evening sir," Anne smiled back politely, while shaking his hand.

"Have you changed your mind about staying for the night dear?" Mrs.Henley insisted again.

Anne gave Gilbert an intentional glance over the shoulder and then straightened her spine , with her nose up in the air.

"I would like more than _ever_ to go back," she said , making sure Gilbert heard her loud and clear.

"If you insist then. Mr.Henley will get the carriage ready in a minute."

"I will forever remember your generosity! I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to repay you for your kindness. I sure would like to think I will someday!"

"Do not worry yourself , it was a pleasure to get to know you Anne," Mrs Henley said pulling her into a hug.

"We are good to go, whenever you're ready Anne," Mr.Henley said while stepping inside.

"I am ready sir," Anne answered.

"Would you like to come with, son?" he'd asked out of nowhere.

Gilbert was not ready to respond to that, he knew Anne wouldn't have wanted him to say _yes._ He would have wanted to himself, (anything to spend a little more time with Anne) but he knew she would not be pleased by it.

"No- uhm ..it's alright— It's late , I should probably uh, get to sleep,"  he said nervously putting his hand behind his head , knowing very well that he would not be able to sleep that night.

Anne looked at him , rather disappointed that's how they'd part ways , for a moment it seemed like they were going to be friends. _But it was his fault._ She consoled herself.   
Very , _very_ deep down, she would have wanted to continue the conversation they had earlier.

"Alright as you wish son," he said , giving Gilbert a teasingly smirk.

"Come along, Anne."   
He escorted her to the carriage.

"Goodbye Mrs Henley! Thank you again!" she said while she sat down next to Sebastian.

"Goodbye Anne!" she waved at them.

She knew it would be disrespectful to not say goodbye to Gilbert, especially because whether she liked it or not , it was because of him she'd get to go home safely tonight.

"Goodbye Gilbert," she nodded respectfully.

Gilbert's eyes wide-opened as he looked up at her. He'd not expected her to talk to him.

"Bye Anne , be well!" he replied with a soft grin on his face.

The two starred at each other until she felt carriage move and sway into the night.

***  
Almost through halfway of the road , Anne hadn't said any word (other than thank Mr.Henley for being so kind to ride her home)  
She didn't do this purposely but she had so much in her mind, that her speech had left her.

"We've heard much about you.. Anne - _with an E,_ " Sebastian decided to speak , breaking Anne out of her reverie.

 _"Heard much about her."_ clear as crystal now that it was through Gilbert. _What did he say?_  
 _That she had a bad temper? That she wasn't smart or pretty enough? That her hair was as red as "Carrots" , that her -_

"He spoke highly of you," he added , interrupting her shameful thoughts. She couldn't have been more wrong.

"You're unexpectedly quiet though. It has come to my knowledge that you love to talk," the kind man said.

And then it finally hit her.

  
_"A sweet looking_ _young lady ... very talkative ... and with dazzling eyes"_

An innocent smile spread all across her face. And her cheeks turned as red as her hair.

She has been Gilbert's " _mysterious lady_ " all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know if you've enjoyed this!


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